Automatic lid-releasing device for talking-machines and like cabinets.



W. E. FERGUSON. AUTOMATIC uu nuusms DEVICE ran mus mcmuz AM) LIKECABINETS.

APPHCATION FILED JAN. l0. [9!]. 1,289,718.

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Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

WILLIAM E. FERGUSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC LID-BELEASING DEVICE FOR TALKING-MACHINE AND LIKE CABINETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed January 10, 1917. Serial No. 141,5 42.

To all whom it may concern:

,Be it known that I, WiLLiAM E. Fnnooson, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Bufi'alo, in the county of Erie and State ofNew York, have invented a new and Imp roved Automatic Lid-ReleasingDevice for alkin -Machine and like Cabinets, of which the fol owing is afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to cabinets which have a hi ed lid or to with alid-so port arm pivot fi thereto an a catch there or on the body of thecabinet, and has for its object to provide means for automaticallydisengaging the lid-support from the catch when the lid is seized andoperated to be closed, so that in lowering the lid it is not necessaryto manually operate the lid-support.

Another object of in invention isto provide a device of this 0 aracterin the form of an attachment capable of being readily applied to talkingmachines and like cabinets in use.

With these objects in view, the invention consists generally stated, ofan arm member adapted to force the lid-support away from the catch, anda second member adapted to engage and latch with the arm member, and aspring acting on the said members to actuate them.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical ex ressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustratingthe invention, is shown in the accompanyin drawings. Such drawings arenot to be ta an as defining the limits of the invcntion, reference beingbad to the claims for that urpose.

In sai drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the upper (partof the casing of a cabinet with the li or top thereon, equipped. with myinvention:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on an en larged scale showing theposition of the automatic release when the l1d-support is moving intoengagement with the catch provided for the purpose;

Fi 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing t 0 parts in osition withthe lid-support completely engag ng the catch member;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the posn tions of the lid-sup ort andthe automatic release when the 11 has been lifted tothe maximum extentpreparatory to lowering same, and showing said support swung ward travelof support 4, a stop away from the catch by the action of the BVI'CQ;

Fig; 5 IS a similar view but showin r the parts in position when the lidis complhtcly closed, and also showing the means by which the device isautomaticall resetby the lidsupport as the lid is close In all the viewsof the drawing, like parts are designated by the same referencecharacters.

Referring more particularly to the example of my invention illustratedin Figs. 1 to 5, reference character 1 indicates the lid or top of thecabinet 2 of a talking machine; 3, the usual partition on which theturntable, etc., are mounted; 4, the usual lidsupport pivoted at itsupper end to the lid 1 by a bracket 7, and having a slot 5 in its lowerend to engage with the usual catch 8, when the lid is fully o ened 9, aslot in partition 3 to accommodiite lid-support 4. A slotted guide plate10, through which lidsupport 4 extends is secured by screws to partition3, over slot 9, serves to guide lidsupport and adds a finish. To limitthe upin 11 is located in same. All the parts re erred to are known.

I provide an arm 12 ivotally mounted for swinging movement a out a fixedaxis by a pivot bearing 15, to a plate 16, the arm 12 having aprOJectiOn 13 that is formed integral therewith, an arm 14 is secured toand preferably formed integral with arm 12. The parts 12, 13 and 14 maybe conveniently formed, as by stamping, from a single piece of sheetmetal.

An arm 17 is also pivotally mounted to the plate 16, by a pivot bearing21, and having shoulders or abutments 18 and 19 formed therein forengaging and latching with the arm 14, an arm 20 is attached to andpreferably formed integral with arm 17, the arm 20 terminates in closeproximity to the usual catch 8 which in this case is a short pin or studsecurely riveted to the plate 16, this arm is so positioned that thenose 6 on lidsupport 4 will depress the arm 20 when the li or to p isretained 0 on by lid-support 4 resting on catch 8. he arts 17 and 20 maybe conveniently forme as by; stamping, from a single piece of sheet metaA helical spring 22 is attached at one end by a pin or stud 23 arm 14,the other and is attached to arm 1'? by a pin or-stud 24. This spring isunder tension and forces arm 12"toswing outward against lid'support 4vice to its cocked position, as shown in when arm 14 is released byabutment or Fig. shoulder 18 on arm 17 when the latter is It is to beunderstood that many changes swung outward by arm 20 when the latter maybe made in the shape and urran ement s is depressed-by nbsefionlid-support 4. This of the parts of the specific 'embo iments 7c springalso forces arm 17 to return touts shown and described herein withoutany delatchingposition with arm 14, and carrying pnrture from the spiritor scope of the inarm 20 to its set position. vention.

A flat late 16, "which can be made by Having now described my invention,what 10 stampin porn sheet metal, carries the arms I claim as new anddesire to protect by Let- 12 14,1 and 20, and the catch 8. I show tersPatent of the United States isol's folthis plate attached to the underside of slotlows: V

.t' 1 hide plate It this can be done in any 1. Top-releasing device,which comprises ,su tisalegn'a inegsuch as butt-welding. By incombination with a top-prop i nda catch 15 this pnsr dnqsthe entiredevice is selftherefor, a movable member to engage-said containedand/field in position on partition top-prop, and a second movable memberto ,3 by screws't "rough slotted late 10, as engage said firstniovableineinber,suid sec- .,,,.-,;show;i is made of suc a size and 0ndIHOVHblQJIlPIIlbGI being operated by said "shape that will" readily gothrough slot 9 top-prop. 20 inpartition ;3,. If desired plate 16 can be2. The combination with a swinging lid separate from slot'ted guideplate 10, and atsupport and a relativelv fixed catch theretacheddirectly to the side of the cabinet for; of means to resiliently engagesaid sup- ,s'c'rews. or an; other means (not shown). port and adapted todeflect the some from The arm 12' ifs so positioned and has sufiithesupporting position in engagement with 25 cientlm'otion to swing lid-suport at entirely the catch, said means including a iocknble clahofcatplr8 leaving the lid 1 free to be element to contact with the support; anda .llo'iviirei lf', The eng'th of arms 17 and 20, second rockableelement contr-olling" the 3's,, s,uf:1i, ,that the motion imparted toarm 20 movements of the first means, said second 3'0 tofsw 'ng arm)?enough to freely clear support.

1' p1 1 fgq n g fi't'i ct with abutment or shoul- 3. An automatic lidreleasin'g device, er ,l8,',"':The shoulder or abutment 19 whichcomprises in combination w'itha lidrined in a'ifni' 17 serves as a stopagainst support and a catch tl'ierefor, inean's for auwhichfarfm l ts't'rikes, limiting the motion tomatically forcing said support i fonicon to of 1 f tact with said catch; comprising' amember ,fl ijlopejrationwhen lid 1 is raised, support adapted to deflect saidsupportaway from 4 isin position to engage catch 8, as shown Stud h, and& SBCQIid meliibei adapted to .2, lidl is slightly lowered a usualengage with and retain and release said first :toca ise support 4 tocompletelx ho0k-over membflf. .7 w gi tch d nose Q on said support comesinto 4 An automatic lid:releasing device, ig test w thgirm 29 anddepresses same, which comprises in combination with a lidgllfim gilusiii gzdriii 17 to swing away from support and a catch'there fiorfsiearis for au- ,.releii5jil}fi he.latter from abutment tomaticallyforcing lij fipfi t-" fim ngjnssfownjii ,i 3. As lid 1 is slightly tactwith said catchy domprising atmember .sg,,.r%gise d las 'tpn low nose 6toswing clear adapted to deflect said-supportrawayifrom "batch ai'nilzunder the influence of said catch, a second membefilatch ng ;with,sppipg gg swipgs on its pivot bearing 15, said first memberadapted'to'retain andrepport' 4 away from catch 8, as lease the latter,said*seoond memberrbemg o'wn n, 3g. The outward swing of operated bysaid support, said first member at) ,pgip 1,2,1 stdripby arm 14 strikingagainst be ng released by said second iii'ember when Y al iitii enQonarm 17. As the lid is being said second member 15 operated bysaidsupiredmafiyifig with it lid-support 4 the port, and a spring acting on saidmen-ibers. o werf endp it el latter has a swinging mo- 5. An automaticlid releasingf device, t p tow a'tl,arn' 1'2 and comes into contactwhich comprises n combination w-i li a lid- 95 W1 h prmec tion arm l2,forcin arins support and a catch therefonmieans' or forco .gtjqaclqotheir-set oi coclre posi ing stiid support from-commo ers said ti s, 11',e ihey ar eld by abut ne itm p11 cateii'yqmnsrisin a. memuemdspies toder 7 ich T efgtr 'p,l's uiiderjthe infleet. sa d, support awayfrom"saiu ateh, a .tllfiil i.-,m.., M5 pe pg s connecting sa d gums,-second member latclim fwith saidiqfii st mem- .-,a e were, testis-4.29i$ W-l ifier is'e t t eore rs t wilmh mem get," ticked posit onwith'ar'id releasesaidfirsememberassid seea st t e motion on said saidmembers, means for resetting said memhere to their set Eosition,comprising a proarmg against said projection as said support travelsdownward forcing said first member back to its set position where it islatched in place by said second member returning to 1ts set positionunder the action,

of said spring.

6. In a cabinet, the combination of a body,

a lid hinged thereto, a lid-prop and a catch therefor attached to saidody, a, movable member adapted to engage said lid-prop, and a secondmovable member adapted to engage said first movable member, said secondmovable member being operated by the lid-prop.

7. In a cabinet, the combination of a body,

a lid hinged thereto at one edge, a lid supporting device connected tothe lid and havmg engagement with a catchon the body,

and automatic means for moving said su porting device out of engagementwith said st member, said support catch, comprising an arm pivotedto'said body and bearing against said supporting device when the latteris in engagement wit said catch, a spring acting on said arm, and meansfor controlling the action of this am comprising a member thatreleasably engages with said arm, said member being operated by said lidsupporting device.

8. In a cabinet, the combination of a body, a lid hinged thereto at oneedge, a lid-sup port connected to the lid and engaging with a catch onthe body, and automatic means for moving said lid-support out ofengagement with said catch, comprising a springpressed arm pivoted tothe body, means for controlling the action of said arm, comprising amember that releasably latches with said arm, said member being actuatedb said lid-support, and means for automatically resetting said arm andsaid member by said lid-support as the lid is closed.

WILLIAM E. FERGUSON.

